# The Microbiome of Pregnant African American Women with Group B Streptococcus Colonization and the Influence of Prenatal Antibiotics

> **NIH NIH K01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · 2020 · $90,342

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Group B streptococcal (GBS) infection is the leading cause of infectious neonatal morbidity and mortality in the
US. Maternal GBS colonization is the strongest predictor for neonatal GBS infection. African American (AA)
mothers and infants are twice as likely to be affected by GBS than their white counterparts. There are currently
no effective methods to prevent maternal GBS colonization. Current efforts to prevent maternal-infant GBS
transmission during labor center around the administration of intrapartum antibiotics to mothers who screen
positive for colonization, which has reduced the number of cases of early onset neonatal GBS sepsis; but this
approach does not prevent GBS associated complications that occur prior to labor nor late onset sepsis.
Furthermore, the disparity of GBS sepsis between AAs and their white counterparts remains unexplained,
uncharacterized, and persistent despite the implementation of intrapartum antibiotics, underscoring the need to
further understand factors that shape GBS colonization. Preliminary data suggests that exposure to antibiotics
prenatally, which is more common among AA women, may increase the risk for GBS colonization. The advent
of metagenomic sequencing of the microbiome offers promise for solving this important microbe-antibiotic
clinical puzzle. To date, no studies have systematically examined perinatal antibiotic exposure and/or the
dynamics of the microbiome related to maternal GBS colonization throughout pregnancy. In order to better
understand the GBS disparity, identify risk and protective factors, this study will examine the oral, gut, and
vaginal microbiome of AA pregnant women throughout pregnancy. This nested case-control study will serve to
advance the understanding of prenatal risk factors associated with GBS colonization among AA pregnant
women by evaluating 16S rRNA and medical record data to accomplish the following Aims: 1) Evaluate the
vaginal, gut, and oral microbiome in early and later pregnancy among women with GBS positive vs. negative
screening culture. 2) Determine whether prenatal antibiotic exposures predispose to, or protect against, GBS
colonization and/or microbiome patterns associated with GBS colonization.
Results from this study have the potential to change practice and improve antibiotic stewardship in pregnant
populations. The K01 project and mentored training supported by this award were designed for Dr. Wright to
establish expertise in quantifying perinatal exposures and microbiome analytic pipelines. Combined with her
existing expertise in epigenetics and nursing, the additional training establishes multi-omic expertise as the
foundation to sustain an independent, translational program of research focused on developing personalized
and mechanistically-targeted interventions to improve health outcomes across the lifespan.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10004727
- **Project number:** 5K01NR017903-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
- **Principal Investigator:** Michelle Lynn Wright
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $90,342
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-26 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10004727

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10004727, The Microbiome of Pregnant African American Women with Group B Streptococcus Colonization and the Influence of Prenatal Antibiotics (5K01NR017903-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10004727. Licensed CC0.

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